Great Cormorant

(Phalacrocorax carbo)

Where: Chesapeak Bay Bridge Tunnel • Virginia Beach, VA

Notes: Doing nature photography usually means dealing with nature in many ways and this includes the weather. As my partner and I headed out to Virginia's Eastern Shore for a weekend trip, we decided to stop at the first island on the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel. I got out and peeked over the handrail on the leeward side of the parking lot. Many birds use the island as a wind break. That's when I discovered this majestic diver sitting nearby. In my experience, this is a very shy bird. Yet, it was perched in closer than I had ever seen one before. Considerations of the frigid temperatures and sustained winds hardly chilled my enthusiasm. I circled around, out of sight, to improve my position to the sunlight. I made it into position and snapped my fill of shots. It is about three inches taller than the more common Double-crested Cormorant (left) and this species has a more northern range.